Page 25 of Possessive Trucker

“They didn’t seem to know about you when I went there this morning,” Dad says, his eyes narrowing a little as he glances at me sideways.

“That’s because she came straight here, yesterday,” Thorn announces, coming back in with a tray of coffee, some of the pie and a few other bits and pieces on a huge tray, which he sets down on the solid wood coffee table in front of us all.

“Sophie stayed here last night, and we were going to go down to the mill this afternoon to get her started in the office.”

“She. Stayed. Here?” Dad asks, his brow darkening.

I’m ready to tell him once and for all, ready to shout at him for embarrassing me so much in front of Thorn, that I’m old enough to do what I want now, but Thorn doesn’t even blink.

“That’s right. I have a whole house here, Mr?” he asks, holding up the cream in a tiny jug and pouring it once my dad signals he wants just a dash in his coffee.

“Pitt. Morgan Pitt,” Dad tells him, looking around and taking in the size of the place as Thorn reminds him he has an upstairs as well as a downstairs, filled with rooms and secure privacy for his guests and employees.

“I see,” Dad groans, sinking his head into his hands as Thorn gives me a little wink.

Not lying, just… delaying the truth for a bit.

I can hear his voice in my mind, and I agree. It’s far better to have dad getting used to the idea of Thorn and me in stages rather than having a big drama that serves nobody.

“Are you married, Mr. Thorn?” Dad asks.

“No,” Thorn replies.

“I see,” Dad says again, looking at me sidelong for an explanation.

I just give a little shrug.

“I was so tired after everything yesterday, the whole thing with that stupid housekeeping job, then losing my bag. Mr. Throne was too kind about everything and we just figured we’d sort it all out today. I was gonna call you dad, but you were… well. We had words yesterday and I thought I’d just…”

“Tell me about this job,” Dad interrupts, his eyes on Thorn again.

“Well… It’s a bit of a roustabout position really. One of my drivers, he’s made it known he’d rather go work on a farm out in the country somewhere… really doesn’t want to drive rigs anymore so I have to take his place.”

“Farm, eh?” Dad says, his eyes widening as he sits back in his seat sipping his coffee, relaxing a little.

“Oh yeah, Kip? He’s always wanted to work on a farm, so I have to go back driving for a time and Sophie here is gonna handle the office admin with my mill and fleet manager, Mack, who I think you met this morning?”

“Yes, I did,” Dad muses. “Tell me more about this farm fella. Is he experienced, strong?”

I see what Thorn’s done, and I love him for it.

He’s taken an awkward, possibly violent confrontation and made it all about my dad finding someone to help him on the farm in a very subtle way.

I want to butt in, but Thorn gives me a look with his eyes that he has it all worked out.

So I just let him square it all away with dad in his own special way.

Chapter Twenty

Thorn

It’ll take some doing.

Kip hates the country, and he’d be about as much use as a farm hand as he is an astronaut.

But I had to think of something.

I resolve to pay Kip whatever it takes, however long and however much it costs until we can ease Morgan Pitt into the idea his daughter’s fallen for her older employer, who just happens to be fabulously wealthy and can provide for her for the rest of her life.

If I’d kept on being so protective of Sophie, not wanting her own dad to have anything to take the place of the idea of her leaving the farm, I’d be no better than he is.

Overprotective and scared of losing her.

But I know I have her. And the only thing that scares me is how much I love her. That I might not be able to get across to her in one lifetime just what she means to me.

She’s all mine, I claimed her as my own and she’s told me what she really wants.

Over coffee I talk up Kip some more as the down home country boy I just know he is at heart, and fill her dad in on Sophie’s new position.

“Sounds like she may as well be running the show,” he exclaims, swelling with pride as I outline just as much. Sophie will have full and equal say in the running of any aspect of the company she feels comfortable in.

I can’t tell her old man today, but after all, it’ll be half her business too, eventually… once I get my way.

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